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Tom Waddell – Gay Olympics Creator

After placing sixth in the decathlon at the 1968 Mexico City Summer Olympics, gay athlete Dr. Tom Waddell injured his knee during a high jump event at a 1972 Hawaii track meet and moved to San Francisco. As a closeted young person growing up in Paterson, N.J. and attending Springfield College in Mass., Waddell said he played football, did gymnastics and ran track to “prove” his masculinity and avoid bullying. But by 1976, he decided he was “interested in presenting a new image” of what it was to be gay in America. So in 1976, Waddell and the man he considered his husband, architect Charles Deaton, came out in People magazine.

Six years later, Waddell created the “Gay Olympics” to both empower and welcome gay and lesbian athletes of all skill levels, and to host educational and art exhibitions.

But just before the first “Gay Olympics” were to take place in San Francisco in 1982, the U.S. Olympic Committee sued him to have the word “Olympics” removed from the event, worried that the gay association would hurt the Olympic brand. The case went all the way to the Supreme Court, and on June 25, 1987, the justices decided against Waddell, 7-to-2.

SF Marathon

The first Gay Games took place in San Francisco at Kezar Stadium between August 28-Sept 5, 1982 founded and hosted by Olympic athlete Dr. Tom Waddell with more than 1,300 competitors from 170 cities worldwide. Sport events included basketball, track and field, bowling, volleyball, wrestling and swimming. Gay Games II took place from August 9-17, 1986 with over 3,500 participants. It included 11 additional events: cycling, golf, marathon, physique, pool (billard), powerlifting, Racquetball, Soccer, Softball, Tennis and Triathlon.

In January 1985, San Francisco Frontrunners Mary Ann Powers and Bob Puerzer, experienced marathoners, headed the Marathon committee and assigned 9 subcommittees to perform the various tasks. The Schedule subcommittee set the marathon date for Saturday, August 9 with a start time of 7:30am with a duration time of 4 ½ hours. The plan was for a Post-Awards ceremony at the Closing Ceremony at 1:00pm on the last day of the Games at Kezar Stadium. It also offered the opportunity for runners to participate in other sports during the week.

Steve Gatlin was assigned to Course Design with a vision of offering an exciting, scenic, city-side and hilly course showcasing San Francisco streets. The course would have to be approved by more than 25 governmental agencies to be certified in the event of setting world records. The Police Department, National Park and Army were all involved with particular emphasis on avoiding overtime for police who were responsible to traffic control.

The Start Point committee, headed by Jay Richards, set the location at the columns that serve as the entrance to Fort Point below Golden Gate Bridge. It proceeds along the waterfront to the Ferry Building , then doubles back past Fisherman’s Wharf, Fort Mason, the Marina Green and the Presideo then runs along Seacliff, past the Cliff House into Golden Gate Park for 26.2 miles

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Exhibit 1

Approximately 300 volunteers were recruited, assigned and tracked by Alan Renoud and Edd Powell. They included various Bay Area Running and gay sports clubs with emphasis on the “community” nature of the event. An application was presented in the Gay Games II Marathon Newsletter #3.

Exhibit 2

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On July 16, 1986 Jim Deveney, Water Station Coordinator released the water station assignment sheet. The document described the purpose of a water station “to provide fluids for the runners”. Water and a drink called ERG (Electrolyte Replacement and Glucose) were available and the volunteers were asked to “yell out the drink you are holding”. For volunteers who preferred to “pass off” a cup of water they were instructed to fill cups ½ to ¾ full by pinching the top of the cup and hold it with only their thumb. Additionally, it was recommended that the volunteer was to walk or run backwards a few steps, hand the cup to the runner while both were moving. Once the runner grabbed the cup, then the volunteer could let it go. Volunteers were instructed to never throw water on a runner. If requested, the volunteer should gently toss water on the runners chest or back, but never on their face, head or shoes. If a runner appeared injured or ill, the volunteer was encouraged to inquire and direct that person to the medical team located at their water station.

All volunteers were encouraged to bring additional warm and cool clothes since San Francisco water was unpredictable and for the possibility of being splashed with water during hand off. A hat or visor, sunscreen and suntan were also recommended. The list also recommended coffee, juice and snacks which suggest that these items may not have been provided by the club.

REPEATED BELOW The Marathon committee hosted a buffet/reception party for the runners and volunteers on Saturday, August 16 starting at 6:00pm at Olive Oil’s Restaurant located at Pier 50, just off of third street. A reservation form was provided with a due date of August 10, otherwise a charge of $10.00 was required as a late fee to cover the order of additional food.

Equipment, such as cones, pylons and barricades, were setup at each district. Todd Van Bortel served as the chairperson aided by Scott Thomson who led the San Francisco Marathon organization where many of the supplies were borrowed. A separate handout for each district listed each left and right turn along the route and the exact number or pylons need as well as their placement.

Exhibit 3

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Course control, headed by Richard Rockwell, involved the training and coordination of more than a hundred course control monitors. Assisted by S.F. Marthon’s director of course control, their joint responsibility was to establish a clear running path for the runners and controlling traffic at intersections. Richard divided the entire course into 26 districts with a captain responsible for training team leaders. Each captain would train the course control volunteers in their assigned district.

Jim Deveny’s task involved locating available sources of potable water along the route. The most difficult part of the search involved locating and documenting the few fire hydrants in Golden Gate Park. Water stations were planned for about every two miles. Ideally, the goal was to find low-pressure fire hydrants along a route where runners would pass twice which would ultimately require fewer volunteers.

A list of 11 water station and nearest telephone locations was compiled. The list also included the telephone number and the mile number. For example, the water station and phone at mile 3 could be found at the entrance to Presidio near Lyon & Mason Sts where the number was 563-9661. Since no reference was made to the area code, I assume it was 415.

Exhibit 4

Medical needs would be managed by Charles Williamson, M.D. for the Games as well as the Marathon. Medical monitors would be assigned to each water station and at the finish line. As a long-time runner himself, Charles advised that marathon participants train themselves for a “hilly” course.

Bud Budlong, Jose Contreras and Bob Puerzer headed the Marathon Outreach and Registration Committee which was located at 526 Castro Street which was part of the Wasabi Bistro restaurant. Bud applied his architectural skills to prepare 8.5x11 hand drawn maps of 26 districts each showing named streets and some structures. He used a yellow hi-liter to identify the actual marathon route.

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Exhibit 5

Bud used an 11x14 map of San Francisco to divide the route into 26 districts with a numbered box to represent each mile where race and traffic monitors would be stationed.

Exhibit 6

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Exhibit 7

For each district he also created a list of Race and Traffic monitors describing in details the start and end locations for that district. The instructions were very specific: “Left turn on hill, on Golden Gate Promenade, by the big tree” then “Left turn near top of hill, left at large metal sculpture”. Each district also needed equipment, so instructions also included items such as “6 pylons at east end of Coast Guard Station, between District 1 & 2” with “yellow tape at Marine Dr. & Long Avenue (for possible 2 sharp turns between and around buildings).

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Exhibit 8 (district 12)

To ensure that people would experience the marathon runners, a graphic chart was drawn showing where spectators were needed for each mile along the route. Elevations were labeled along the left side of the graphic and mile markers were identified along the bottom with specific names such as “Entrance to Golden Gate Park” for miles 19-20. The map of San Francisco showing each district and the graphic chart was included in Marathon Newsletter #3 along with statistics for age each 4 year groups from 18-59. It also included the number and percentage of total entries in these age groups.

Exhibit 9

Exhibit 10

General Instructions were issued to all course monitors and included the detailed intersection map and a specific assignment sheet when they meet their Captain on race day at their designated check point. The station location and assignment was circled in red. Monitors were divided into various categories. Those with the letter “T” were primarily responsible for traffic control and were to be concerned with the direction of vehicular traffic during the race and were required to consult with a police officer when necessary. The police were in attendance to direct traffic, not runners. Runners had the right or way except for official and emergency vehicles, such as fire engines and ambulances. Course control vehicles carried identifying sign.

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Typically the traffic monitors had an orange traffic flag and prevented traffic from interfering with the runners. They were protected by a small barricade, traffic cones and an official T-shirt. Traffic monitors were asked to arrive at their locations early so that Captains could advise and review their instruction sheet so that the barricade and cones would be setup at their designated time. A small graphic accompanied these instructions. When all the runners passed, the monitors folded and removed the barricade then carried them along with the cones and flag back to the check point. Yes, there were allowed to keep their T-shirt.

Exhibit 11

Runner monitors, designated by the letter “R”, were primarily responsible to direct runners so that they would stay on course. Their task involved waving the traffic flag especially where changes in direction occurred. Police officers were identified by the letter “P” on the map and available if a runner needed assistance or unable to reach the nearest medical or aid station. Monitors who were assigned to districts 1 through 15 were encouraged to join districts 30 and 31.

Exhibit 12

A list of 116 runners showed their Placement, Bib#, Name, Residence and Time. Asterisks next to the time identified the medalists in 7 age categories for gold, silver and bronze. Two named were listed for women’s ages 40-44, one name each for ages 45-49 and 50-59. No male appeared for age 60+. The men’s age groups showed 3 finishers for each age group with no finisher for the 60+ category.

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Exhibit 13

An invitation was extended by SF Frontrunners to other Frontrunner clubs, during their stay in San Francisco, to attend other runs:

August 9th & August 16th (Saturdays) at 10:00am from Stow Lake Boathouse, Golden Gate Park (1-5 miles) followed by brunch at Plains Restaurant (19th and Lincoln Way.

August 10th (Sunday) at 10:00am met at Dolores Park (2-3.4 miles) at 20th and Church Sts.

August 14th (Thursday at 6:00pm from McLaren Lodge (3-5 miles) at Fell and Stanyon Sts.

Other activities included a picnic at Angel Island on August 3rd sponsored by local sports clubs and buffet/reception on August 16th at Olive Oil’s at Pier 30. Attendees were asked to submit a reservation form listing the cost as $5.00 per person.

Exhibit 14

 

 

 

 

 

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A map of Kezar Stadium labeled the various activities and support stations that would occur on August 9 and 17. Athletics and Dignitaries, led by the torch relay, entered from the west end of the stadium near the security gate, proceeded through a 50 foot opening along the center of the field to the main stage at the opposite end. Photographers, bands and flag corps were stationed along the perimeter while the runners completed their marathon route.

A map of the stadium showed the layout for seating arrangements, ticket booths, gate numbers, press, etc.

Exhibit 15

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Detailed records of each marathon runner was compiled listing various categories that included their age range ( ex. 40-44), the state and city they represented.

Exhibit 16

A Fact sheet reported 1,300 athletes participated in Gay Games I in 1982 and 3,482 participants signed up for Gay Games II. This included 1,370 women and 2,112 men. It showed entries by country, sport and state. A total of 261cities were represented. Athletics were allowed to represent any city of their choice so runners who lived in the United States could, for example, participate for Nicaragua.

Exhibit 17

The Proposed Marathon Race was clearly defined in a two page document dated August 17, 1986 listing the entire route street by street.

Exhibit 18